Pete - It could be IGT just wants to turn the strike machines into Jewlery machines, don't know how much play the casinos with the Jewlery machines get on the machines but one thing for sure is IGT thinks the strike program is a large pain in the rear, the casino slot managers I have talked to say they are getting less play and more people complaining about how much it takes to win a strike, the fact that when you do win a strike changes are you will get the same strike twice or three times in a row and the very small credit pay for a cherry and mixed bars ( 2 credits for both on the 3 payline machines )and the reduced payout for 3 7"s. Of coarse I don't think the casinos try to talk with IGT to fix the problems or change the hold percentage which they choose these days. One manger told me if people keep complaining they will just get out of the strike program and this is just what we don't want.
Walt